1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a connecting arrangement for a clutch-release mechanism of a clutch arrangement, where the clutch-release mechanism is concentric with respect to a longitudinal axis of the clutch arrangement, and where at least one connecting line, which can be connected to the clutch-release mechanism for the purpose of control, and a fastening means for the detachable connection of the clutch-release mechanism to a support clement are provided.
2. Description of the Related Art
The friction clutches of motor vehicles are usually premounted on the engine, while the associated clutch-release device is initially mounted on the transmission to form a unit. This attachment to the transmission casing can be accomplished with threaded bolts, for example, but this is time-consuming. In addition, the mounting of clutch-release mechanisms concentrically to a rotational or longitudinal axis of the clutch arrangement requires special tools in order to ensure a precise fit.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a connecting arrangement for a clutch-release mechanism of a clutch arrangement by means of which the clutch-release mechanism can be mounted easily and precisely on a support element.
According to the present invention, this object is achieved by fastening means wherein the connection can be produced and released by relative rotation between the clutch-release mechanism and the support element, in the manner of known turn-lock or quarter-turn fasteners.
According to the invention, it is possible for the fastening means to comprise one or a plurality of vanes on the clutch-release mechanism or on the support element to cooperate with a corresponding number of vane-receiving elements on the other element, i.e., the support element or the release mechanism. As a result of this design it is possible, before the fastening means are connected on the release mechanism side, to premount the fastening means on the support element side with an accurate fit without the danger of damage to the release mechanism or to the associated connecting line and only then to attach the release mechanism by means of a simple relative rotation. In addition, this type of attachment offers the additional advantage that the means used to attach the fastening means on the support element side to the support element can also be designed in such a way that, after the release mechanism has been mounted, there is no longer any access to the fastening means, i.e., that the fastening means are completely covered on the support element side by the release mechanism.
According to a preferred embodiment, it is possible for the vanes to be arranged on the release mechanism and for them to be designed preferably as an integral part of that mechanism. For example, an area of a cylinder of the release mechanism can be made from a single piece of sheet metal, on which the vanes are formed. This allows low-cost production.
To avoid turning the fastening means too far when fastening it and to avoid damage to the fastening means, at least one vane-receiving element can have a circumferential stop.
It is also possible for at least one vane-receiving element to comprise a securing means for holding the associated vane in the vane-receiving element. This prevents the clutch-release mechanism from coming loose during operation. Securing screws, latching hooks, stop springs, cotter pins, etc, could be used as securing means, for example.
The clutch-release mechanism preferably comprises a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder arrangement, where at least one fluid connecting line serves to connect the piston-cylinder arrangement.
In addition, the clutch-release mechanism can also comprise a sensor system, where at least one sensor connecting line serves to connect the sensor system. A sensor system of this type can be necessary especially when the clutch-release mechanism is intended for use in an automated transmission in which a control unit controls not only the transmission but also the release mechanism. The sensor system serves here to record the data required by the control unit such as the clutch release distance, the torque, the transmission input speed, etc. It can also be advantageous, however, for the release mechanism to have sensors even if the transmission is not automated.
It can also be advantageous according to the invention for the minimum of one connecting line to have a connecting means for cooperating with a corresponding opposing connecting means of the release mechanism. Connecting lines are to be understood here as, for example, the compressed air or hydraulic oil feed lines required for actuating the piston-cylinder assembly of the clutch-release mechanism and the electrical lines required for transmitting the electrical signals of the sensor system or for controlling, for example, a release solenoid.
It is advantageous in this case for the connecting means and the opposing connecting means to be designed in such a way that their working connection is brought about by the rotational movement required to produce the fastening effect. In contrast to the state of the art, therefore, there is no need for an additional work step to connect the lines; on the contrary, this connection is accomplished automatically, as it were, when the clutch-release mechanism is attached to the associated support element.
To prevent damage to or contamination of the connecting means and the opposing connecting means during operation, the connecting means and opposing connecting means can be provided in the contact area between the release mechanism and the support element. But because there is only a small amount of space available here to hold the connecting means and the opposing connecting means, the sensor connecting line can be designed as a sheathed, flexible conductive track. A sheathed, flexible conductive track has the advantages of being extremely flat, mechanically sturdy, producible by injection molding, easily brought into contact with electroplated areas, and obtainable at low cost. To ensure good electrical transmission at the contact points, the connecting means for connection of the sensor system can have electrical spring contacts. It is also conceivable, however, to use other types of contacts capable of establishing the required connections.
To protect the connecting means and opposing connecting means from contamination before installation, the minimum of one connecting means or opposing connecting means can be provided with a sealing mechanism, which covers the connecting means or opposing connecting means before the connection is established. The sealing mechanism can comprise, for example, a protective cover in the form of a swiveling shutter or a slider, which is opened by hand before assembly to allow the connection to be established. Preferably, however, the sealing mechanism is opened by the same rotation as that which produces the fastening effect. The sealing mechanism can be provided with, for example, a restoring spring, so that, when the fastening effect of the fastening means is released, the sealing mechanism returns automatically to its starting position and covers the connecting means or opposing connecting means.
Alternatively or in addition, however, the sealing mechanism can comprise a protective film, which is peeled off before the fastening effect is produced. In addition, a cover for the sealing mechanism can also be provided to cover at least an area of the sealing mechanism on the contact side when the mechanism is open. As a result of this design, it is guaranteed that the connecting means or opposing connecting means, which, after the removal of the clutch-release mechanism, must be covered again, cannot be impaired by dirt adhering to the sealing mechanism.
It is also possible to provide a sealing arrangement, preferably a labyrinth sealing arrangement, which seals off the adjacent areas of the clutch-release mechanism and the support element after the fastening effect has been produced. As a result, it is not only possible to prevent contamination of the connecting means, the opposing connecting means, and the sealing mechanism, but also to exclude almost completely the intrusion of dirt into, for example, the sensor system.
To avoid a multiplicity of parts, it is possible for the parts of the fastening means on the support element side and at least some of the parts of the minimum of one connecting line to be designed to form a single assembly. Like an intermediate ring or adapter, this assembly can ensure that different transmissions with different end profiles can be equipped with the same clutch-release mechanism.
The invention also pertains to a clutch system comprising a friction clutch and a clutch-release mechanism for the clutch, where the release mechanism is attached to a support element by means of a connecting arrangement according to the invention.
The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.